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Investment Market Update

World markets

asia

Asian stocks rallied after their US counterparts gained amid relief. The latest reading on American inflation suggested less need for the Federal Reserve to accelerate monetary tightening.

us

US stocks rose Thursday and market volatility continued to fade, as fears of runaway inflation abated to help send the Dow Jones Industrial Average higher for a sixth consecutive session.

uk

UK stocks closed higher as the UK premier index was given a boost by weaker sterling. The pound lost ground after the latest Bank ot England meeting, where interest rates were kept on hold.

Headlines

The Bank of England said the UK economy has hit a "temporary soft patch" as it kept interest rates on hold at 0.5%. The Bank cut its growth forecast for the year to 1.4%, down from the forecast of 1.8% made in February. The Bank says that the cut is almost entirely due to the disruption to the economy caused by bad weather in March.

At least 73 supermarkets will have to be sold in order for Sainsbury's proposed merger with Asda to be given the go-ahead, according to new research. And it's in the south-east and the north-west of England where stores are most under threat. The new supermarket group would become the largest in the UK by market share.

Market data

Price

1d

YTD

2017

UK (£)

FTSE 100

7,700.97

0.50%

0.20%

7.60%

FTSE 250

20,699.41

0.10%

-0.10%

14.70%

FTSE All Share

4,228.42

0.40%

0.20%

9.00%

FTSE Small Cap

5,965.74

0.20%

0.90%

14.90%

St. James's Place

1,179.00

0.30%

-3.80%

20.90%

Europe (€)

Euro Stoxx 600

391.97

-0.10%

0.70%

7.70%

DAX 30

13,022.87

0.60%

0.80%

12.50%

CAC 40

5,545.95

0.20%

4.40%

9.30%

US (US$)

S&P 500

2,723.07

0.90%

1.80%

19.40%

Dow Jones Ind

24,739.53

0.80%

0.10%

25.10%

NASDAQ

7,404.98

0.90%

7.30%

28.20%

Asia

Hang Seng

31,228.58

1.40%

4.40%

38.50%

Nikkei 225

22,741.10

1.10%

-0.10%

19.10%

Australia 200

6,119.30

0.00%

0.90%

7.00%

MSCI AC Asia Pacific

174.03

0.60%

0.10%

28.70%

World (US$)

MSCI World (Developed)

2,123.53

0.60%

1.00%

20.10%

MSCI AC World (Dev & Em)

517.233

0.70%

0.80%

21.60%

MSCI Emerging Markets

1,156.55

1.10%

-0.20%

34.20%

MSCI AC World Value

220.046

0.70%

-1.80%

15.20%

MSCI AC World Growth

286.121

0.70%

3.40%

28.30%

Fixed Income

FTSE Gilts All Stocks

3,555.35

0.30%

-0.90%

3.00%

FTSE Index Linked All Stocks

629.19

0.80%

-2.90%

2.30%

ML Sterling Corporate Bonds

394.268

0.30%

-1.60%

5.70%

ML Global High Yield Bonds

374.932

0.10%

-0.70%

9.70%

Commodities (US$)

Brent Crude Oil

77.47

0.30%

18.30%

14.50%

Gold

1,319.57

0.50%

1.00%

11.80%

UK Sectors

Basic Materials

6,567.29

1.60%

4.00%

25.00%

Consumer Goods and Services

20,123.84

0.30%

-10.00%

13.60%

Financials

5,417.47

0.80%

0.10%

13.30%

Health Care

10,117.31

0.30%

6.30%

-3.70%

Industrials

4,228.42

0.40%

0.20%

9.00%

Oil & Gas

9,712.83

-0.80%

7.20%

6.00%

Technology

1,883.36

0.90%

-18.20%

23.50%

Telecommunications

2,951.71

-1.40%

-12.80%

0.10%

Utilities

7,277.66

-0.80%

-0.80%

-14.80%

Currencies

$ per £

1.3557

0.40%

0.30%

9.50%

€ per £

1.1436

0.90%

1.60%

-4.00%

¥ per £

148.664

0.60%

-2.30%

5.30%

Indicators

VIX Index (Volatility)

13.23

-1.40%

19.80%

-21.40%

Baltic Dry Index

1,453.00

-0.80%

6.40%

42.14%

UK Rates

BoE Base Rate

0.50%

LIBOR (3 months)

0.68%

Consumer Price Index

2.50%

Retail Price Index

3.30%

Yields / Ratios

FTSE 100 Adj P/E

13.24%

FTSE All Share Adj P/E

13.64%

FTSE All Share Yld

3.94%

15yr Gilt Yield

1.71%

10yr Gilt Yield

1.43%

10yr US Tres Yield

2.96%

Market prices will reflect the last closing prices with the exception of the Asian markets which may be still trading at the time the data is obtained. The data for these markets is therefore a snapshot of live trading data obtained between 06.45 and 07.15 GMT. Growth is shown cumulative and is not annualised. A positive currency movement indicates the £ appreciating against the other currency. Performance data does not account for the re-investment of dividends. This information has been reproduced by kind permission of Bloomberg and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of St. James's Place Wealth Management. St. James's Place considers the information to be reliable but it is not intended to provide a sufficient basis on which to make an investment decision.

Source: MSCI. MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained herein. The MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used as a basis for other indices or any securities or financial products. This report is not approved, endorsed, reviewed or produced by MSCI. None of the MSCI data is intended to constitute investment advice or a recommendation to make (or refrain from making) any kind of investment decision and may not be relied on as such.

The 'St. James's Place Partnership' and the titles 'Partner' and 'Partner Practice' are marketing terms used to describe St. James's Place representatives. Members of the St. James's Place Partnership represent St. James's Place Wealth Management plc, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. St. James's Place Wealth Management plc, St. James's Place UK plc, St. James's Place Unit Trust Group Ltd and St. James's Place International plc are members of the St. James's Place Wealth Management Group. St. James's Place UK plc is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. St. James's Place International plc is authorised and regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. St. James's Place Wealth Management plc Registered Office: St. James's Place House, 1 Tetbury Road, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 1FP, United Kingdom. Registered in England Number 4113955.

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Important notice

Although the content of the article(s) archived were correct at the time of writing, the accuracy of the information should not be relied upon, as it may have been subject to subsequent tax, legislative or event changes.